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Sorba Thomas

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Sorba Thomas
at 2022 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name Benjamin Sorba William Thomas[1]
Date of birth (1999-01-25) 25 January 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth London Borough of Newham, England[2]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Nantes
(on loan from Huddersfield Town)
Number 22
Youth career
West Ham United
2015–2017 Boreham Wood
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2021 Boreham Wood 77 (8)
2018 → Cheshunt (loan) 2 (0)
2021– Huddersfield Town 114 (7)
2023 → Blackburn Rovers (loan) 17 (0)
2024– → Nantes (loan) 5 (0)
International career‡
2021– Wales 12 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 08:27, 14 October 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:09, 14 October 2024 (UTC)

Benjamin Sorba William Thomas (born 25 January 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Ligue 1 club Nantes, on loan from EFL League One club Huddersfield Town, and the Wales national team.

Club career

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Boreham Wood

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A youth product of West Ham United, Thomas joined the youth academy of Boreham Wood at the age of 16. He began his senior career at Boreham Wood aged 17. He was an instrumental part of the under-18 side that reached the FA Youth Cup second round in 2016–17, which included a win over English Football League side Northampton Town.[3] In January 2018, he spent a month on loan at Isthmian League North side Cheshunt.[3]

Huddersfield Town

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On 13 January 2021, Thomas signed a contract with Huddersfield Town until the end of 2023–24 season with the club having the option of a further year's extension.[4][5] He made his professional debut for Huddersfield in a 3–2 EFL Championship loss to Wycombe Wanderers on 13 February 2021.[6]

In the first Championship game of the 2021–22 season, a 1–1 draw with Derby County on 7 August 2021, Thomas got his first assist, supplying a cross from a free kick which was headed in by Naby Sarr.[7] In the following game, a 5–1 home defeat to Fulham, he overhit a backpass which ultimately resulted in Fulham's opening goal, but later provided the assist for Huddersfield's only goal from a corner kick, Matty Pearson scoring with a header.[7]

On 28 August 2021, he scored his first goal (as well as providing two assists) in a 4–0 home victory against Reading: he took possession of the ball at the halfway line, dribbled into the penalty area and placed a low shot past the goalkeeper.[8][9]

On 10 September 2021, Thomas was awarded EFL Championship Player of the Month for August 2021.[10] On 19 May 2022, one week before the 2022 EFL Championship play-off final, Thomas signed a new long-term contract with the club until 2026.[11]

Blackburn Rovers (loan)

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On 25 January 2023, he joined fellow EFL Championship side Blackburn Rovers on loan for the remainder of the 2022–23 season.[12]

Nantes (loan)

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On 30 July 2024, Thomas joined Ligue 1 club Nantes on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy.[13]

International career

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In March 2020, Thomas was called up to the England C team for the first time for a fixture against Wales C team however this match was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[14]

On 28 September 2021, Thomas was called up into the senior Wales squad for the first time for their 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Czech Republic and Estonia.[15] He made his international debut for Wales on 8 October 2021 as a second-half substitute in the 2–2 draw against Czech Republic,[16] and completed his first full 90 minutes three days later in the match against Estonia. In November 2022 he was named in the Wales squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[17]

Personal life

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Born in England, Thomas was born to a Sierra Leonean father and Welsh mother.[2] He qualifies for Wales through his mother who was born in Newport.[18]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 14 February 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Boreham Wood 2017–18[19][20] National League 3 0 0 0 — 5[a] 0 8 0
2018–19[21] National League 32 0 2 0 — 3[b] 0 37 0
2019–20[22] National League 32 5 1 0 — 3[c] 0 36 5
2020–21[23] National League 10 3 4 0 — 0 0 14 3
Total 77 8 7 0 — 11 0 95 8
Cheshunt (loan) 2017–18[24][25] Isthmian League North 2 0 — — — 2 0
Huddersfield Town 2020–21[23] Championship 7 0 — — — 7 0
2021–22[26] Championship 43 3 3 0 2 0 3[d] 0 51 3
2022–23[27] Championship 23 0 1 0 1 0 — 25 0
2023–24[28] Championship 30 4 1 0 0 0 — 31 4
Total 103 7 5 0 3 0 3 0 114 7
Blackburn Rovers (loan) 2022–23[27] Championship 17 0 0 0 0 0 — 17 0
Career total 199 15 12 0 3 0 14 0 228 15
  1. ^ Two appearances in National League play-offs, one appearance in FA Trophy; two appearances in Hertfordshire Senior Cup
  2. ^ Two appearances in FA Trophy; one appearance in Scottish Challenge Cup
  3. ^ Two appearances in National League play-offs; one appearance in FA Trophy
  4. ^ Appearance(s) in Championship play-offs

International

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As of match played 11 October 2024[29]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Wales 2021 2 0
2022 5 0
2023 1 0
2024 3 0
Total 11 0

Honours

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Individual

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Wales (WAL)" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 32. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b Meijer, Lars (3 September 2020). "Interview Sorba Thomas".
  3. ^ a b "Ambers Bring In Wood Youngster On Loan". Non League Pitchero. 11 January 2018. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Sorba Thomas: His Career So Far". www.htafc.com.
  5. ^ "Transfer: Sorba Thomas Arrives At Town". www.htafc.com. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Huddersfield Town vs. Wycombe Wanderers - 13 February 2021 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com.
  7. ^ a b "Covid-hit Terriers fight back at Derby". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  8. ^ ⚽️ Extended Highlights | Huddersfield Town 4-0 Reading, 28 August 2021, retrieved 10 September 2021
  9. ^ "Thomas stars as Terriers thrash Reading". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Sorba Thomas Named Sky Bet Championship Player Of The Month". www.htafc.com. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  11. ^ "NEW LONG-TERM CONTRACT FOR SORBA THOMAS!". www.htafc.com. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  12. ^ "LOAN: SORBA THOMAS JOINS BLACKBURN ROVERS". Huddersfield Town AFC. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  13. ^ "LOAN: SORBA THOMAS JOINS NANTES". www.htafc.com. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  14. ^ "ENGLAND C COME CALLING FOR WOOD TRIO". www.borehamwoodfootballclub.co.uk. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Gareth Bale: Real Madrid forward misses Wales' October World Cup qualifiers with injury". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  16. ^ "Thomas Wales debut - World Cup qualifying: Czech Republic 2-2 Wales". BBC Sport. 8 October 2021.
  17. ^ 2022 Wales World Cup squad
  18. ^ "Sorba Thomas: Wales boss Page monitors Huddersfield winger". BBC Sport.
  19. ^ "Games played by Sorba Thomas in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  20. ^ "Sorba Thomas Profile | Aylesbury United FC". www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  21. ^ "Games played by Sorba Thomas in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  22. ^ "Games played by Sorba Thomas in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  23. ^ a b "Games played by Sorba Thomas in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  24. ^ "Cheshunt | Appearances | Ben Sorba | 2017-2018". FootballWebPages. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  25. ^ "Cheshunt | Appearances | Sorba Thomas | 2017-2018". FootballWebPages. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  26. ^ "Games played by Sorba Thomas in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  27. ^ a b "Games played by Sorba Thomas in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  28. ^ "Games Played by Sorba Thomas in 2023/24". Soccerbase.com. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  29. ^ "Sorba Thomas". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
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